by chris richmond
photo courtesy of julia logue
Julia Logue is an up-and-coming artist based in Portland, OR, and her new single, “Back Of The Party,” is out now. Her music is imbued with a folky soulfulness that evokes the likes of Lianne La Havas or Solange, gentle but emotive, and full to the brim of feeling, all set to a whimsically acoustic soundscape. Julia's voice itself is delicate and stirring, delivering the affable lyrics with good-natured grace. She's been slowly building an audience since 2020, but this year feels a bit special for Julia. We were lucky enough to speak to her about her journey so far, her new music, and her musical inspirations.
Your new single, “Back Of The Party” is really great — congratulations! What was the lyrical inspiration behind the song? How did the track come about?
Julia: “Thank you! The lyrical inspiration started from a pretty specific and repeated experience of seeing someone I had a complicated relationship with at parties. I think I really romanticized this person at the time. The meaning of the song has deepened and shifted since its original creation, but that's where the lyrics began.”
What's your process when it comes to songwriting? How do the ideas come to you?
Julia: “My process usually starts with my electric or nylon string guitar and some jumbled lyrics. I also occasionally start with keys, but yeah, usually guitar and vocals. I've also written collaboratively with a few different players and my producers, Mitch Glad and Justin Kiatvongcharoen. 'Back Of The Party' was created with just that first line in mind (‘find me at the back of the party, I've had a bit too much to drink’), and some bossa nova-style melodies. I was in my senior year of college at the time and I wrote the full song in my room almost in one go. That only happens occasionally for me, but 'BOTP' came to me pretty quickly. The lyrics took some revision, but the bones of the song remained the same.”
What influenced the soundscape of the song? How did you create such a lush but melancholy atmosphere?
Julia: “I love João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Antônio Carlos Jobim... the list goes on. I grew up listening to bossa nova music and I knew that style would come out in my music eventually. At the time 'BOTP' was written, I was in a classical guitar ensemble at my college and as well so I was playing my nylon string guitar a lot. The soundscape was fully realized when Justin started to produce it. I wanted to push this song into a more vintage and psychedelic world than anything I had put out in the past and Justin nailed it. We decided to add harp and that really pushed the song into that lush atmosphere. The harp influence for me was Dorothy Ashby!”
You've been releasing music since 2020. What are your favourite songs that you've released so far? Which ones are you particularly proud of?
Julia: “I'm really proud of 'Here We Are', 'Fort', and this most recent release 'Back Of The Party'. Even though I think I've improved so much as a songwriter since my first EP called No Face, I can look back on that project and be really proud of how far I've come and how honest that EP is.”
How did you first discover you have a talent for singing and songwriting?
Julia: “My dad is a musician and was always playing guitar and writing songs so it felt really natural for me. I know so many singers say this, but I really was singing as soon as I could talk. I was always making up songs, even as a three or four-year-old, and when I started to create songs with full structures and lyrics, my parents and family were very encouraging. I think I realized that I had a knack for singing and songwriting in middle school when I began to share my music with friends and perform in more public settings.”
Who were your musical inspirations growing up?
Julia: “Just to name a few, Stevie Wonder, Bon Iver, Amy Winehouse, Bonnie Raitt, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Lianne La Havas.”
What are the different challenges between singing and songwriting? Which do you feel comes more naturally to you?
Julia: “I think singing and songwriting are pretty intertwined for me. The main thing for me is remaining honest and judgment-free during the creation process. Although that can be harder said than done. Singing as a practice comes more easily for sure. Songs and songwriting can be a practice, but right now, my songs and why they come to me feels like a mystery.”
Would you ever write for other artists, or are your songs too personal to you?
Julia: “I would definitely write for other artists. I often write things that don't feel totally aligned with my personal sound, but they still feel like solid songs. Maybe I'll explore that this year.”
What music have you been listening to this year? Whose albums have you been enjoying lately?
Julia: “Oh man, I have so many albums that have been on repeat this year. I've been listening to the album 11 by Sualt, Glow On by Turnstile, Songs by Adrianne Lenker, Absolutely by Dijon... I could keep going [laughs].”
What can we expect from you in the next year or so? Are you building towards an album?
Julia: “I can't speak on an album just yet... but more singles are coming soon! I'm really looking forward to sharing more!”